A LISBELLAW man became verbally abusive to police attempting to arrest him on suspicion of drink driving after a row with his wife. 

James Stevenson (35) of Farnamullan Road, Mullybritt, Lisbellaw pleaded guilty to assault on police and driving with excess alcohol. 

Enniskillen Magistrates Court heard that police were called to a domestic incident at the defendant’s home at 12.37am on February 10th. Officers spoke to Mrs Stevenson who told them that she had had a row with her husband and that he had then left the house. A bottle of vodka was observed by police on the kitchen table.

The defendant then returned to the house driving a silver BMW and when he got out of the car, he was wearing pyjama bottoms and in his bare feet. 

When requested, Stevenson refused to provide police with a breath test and began verbally abusing them calling them “d***heads” and “w***ers”. He struggled violently with officers as they were trying to arrest him. He also attempted to headbutt one of them but no contact was made with the officer and no injuries sustained. Stevenson continued to be abusive towards police while being conveyed to Enniskillen Police Station where a breath test was taken and gave a reading of 105mg, three times the legal limit. 

Defence barrister Stefan Rafferty said Stevenson, who was present at the hearing, was “upset, annoyed and ashamed to be in court”. 

“It is regrettable that his actions that night have brought him to this forum. The situation that night got out of hand and if he had acted in a more appropriate and acceptable way when being restrained by the police, he wouldn’t be here. The reading reflects how much he had to drink that night,” Mr Rafferty added. 

District Judge Nigel Broderick said the reading was very high and that this must be reflected in the penalty. He imposed a £250 fine and an 18 month disqualification for drink driving and a further £100 for assault.